19: Kimi wa Mahoutsukai da

Cathy looks around and sees the baron plain and her dead students. She clenched her fists in rage. "Late… Again…" She utters.

 Ava, I can't seem to change… She regretted. Her vision goes blurry from her watered eyes. She tries to hold herself together. She grabs her phone from her pocket and dials BCC, she told them to come and clean up the bodies. 

 Cathy made the decision to save Dan before interfering Shujin and Ri. She ended up bringing everyone back to the school. She brought Dan to the infirmary and had him healed up. Dan's nerves—inside his arm—were severely damaged. In order to heal his arm, they needed to cut his arm open and carefully pinpoint the light emitting from a healing crystal directly on the nerves and not the flesh. If they were to hit the flesh, it would regrow tissue and close the wound. It also would take up a lot of healing crystals. 

 It took two whole days to heal Dan's wounds. Dan however, was unconscious for a whole week.

 Dan found himself in a white void, a complete opposite to his own Black Room. He stood staring at the endless white space. The air was electrifying. Sparks of fire occasionally pop from the air. He couldn't move a muscle. One moment he was staring at nothing, the next, he saw man with a distorted face standing right in front of him.

 Dan's eyes fill up with rage. His heart pounded with anger. He had tears running down his face, holding in every bit of fury inside of himself. There was no bottling it up, the emotions already cracked a whole on the bottom of the bottle. 

 "Nee… Daniel. Ore o koroshite."

Ore o koroshite = Kill me.

 Dan couldn't bring himself to reply, his mouth wouldn't move. The white void around them shrunk and turned black. His eyes shot open. And he erected his body to sit on the bed. He gasps as he wakes. He tightens his grip only to hear, "ow…" Laura whispers softly. Taking in the pain for him.

 He looks over to his right to see Laura sitting beside him, holding his hand. He realizes his grip was too strong, so he loosened up his hand. 

 "Daijoubuka?" Laura asks.

 "Umm…" He looks down.

 "Sorry," she shook her head, "that was a stupid question."

 "No, it's okay. I'm okay… I think."

 "Are you sure…?"

 "Yeah," he nods. "Where are the others?"

 "They're eating breakfast right now."

 "You're not joining them?" Dan asks.

 "I'm waiting for you," she replied. 

 "Oh, okay. Sorry," he apologized for making her wait. "I need to go to my room first. I need a shower."

 "Sure, I'll walk you there."

Daijoubuka = are you okay?

 Dan got off the bed and walked together with Laura back to the dorm. The sun felt warm on his skin, another nice beautiful day he has to live through. The walk there was silent, Laura couldn't think of anything to say that could cheer Dan up. He held an apathetic look on his face, she knows it was an act. 

 Laura feels like she should've gone in with Dan without taking his order, but then she would've been beaten alongside Dan. At least, Dan wouldn't have to suffer on his own, she deeply regrets not going in with Dan.

 Laura followed Dan all the way to the boy's floor. She waits outside, sitting by the by the door. She folds her legs and leans back to the wall. She rests her head and looks up. Is he going to be okay? She wonders.

 Dan entered his bathroom and took a cold shower. He lets the cold water run down his body and try to wake his body up and be refreshed. Feel like anew. He got out of the shower, then dried himself with his towel. Then he walks in front of his sink and brushed his teeth. His eyes met his own in the reflection of his mirror. 

 He leaves the bathroom and went to his closet, opened it up and wore a new set of clothes. He wore his underwear first, then his turtle neck shirt, then his pants. He tucks his shirt into his pants. He grabs his belt and wore it around his waist. He grabs his jacket and wore it. He went to wear his headband. He went to look for it in his old pile of clothes. 

 After a few minutes of searching, his headband was slipped in his pant pocket. He went to his closet mirror and fixed his hair. Then he wears his head band, just below his hairline so the hair wouldn't be fully stuck standing. 

 He looks into the mirror, producing a smile on his face. His lips started twitching and tears started overflowing from his eyes. His knees and legs grew weak and takes a few steps away from his closet. He then collapsed to his knees. He bowed his head, slapped his forehead against the floor. 

 "Yowai da…" He claims himself as. "Making a promise you can't keep!"

 "Usotsuki!" He yells at himself. "You let them die!"

Yowai da= Weak

Usotsuki = Liar

 He starts choking on his own breath. Recovering, he took a deep breath, "all that gift and you're useless!" He exclaims in rage. "All that talk and you're just trash!"

 He starts lifting his fists and punching the floor. He makes loud thuds that Laura could hear from the outside. He kept punching, even though his hands were hurting. His hands were bleeding with how strong he was punching. "Yowai!" He slurs.

 "You're so fucking useless!" He curses himself.

 Laura glances over to Dan's door and saw a little light escaping from the door's crack. It wasn't closed properly. She heard everything he said. She decides to stand and take a peek inside. She saw him mercilessly cuss himself out, and sees his hands get bloody. She wants to push the door, but her hands tremble in fear. 

 She feels her whole body feel weakened but more awake than ever. She can't stand seeing Dan like that, she was also terrified of entering that room. She took a step back. Ready to just sit back down and let everything happen. The moment her foot stepped back, she lunges forward and entered his room. Forcing herself into this situation.

 "D- Dan," she calls. He doesn't respond. "Dan," she calls him louder. Still no respond. "DAN!" She shouted.

 Dan erects his body and glanced backward at her. "Laura… I don't want you seeing me like this."

 She gives him a pitiful look, "I don't want to see you like this either," she stated with pure honesty. 

 "Then leave! I don't want you here!" He snaps at her.

 "Sh- shut up!" She snaps back. Dan was shocked, for a moment he felt scared of her. "Listen!" She demanded him. She walks around Dan and crouched down and sits in a keiza position. "Guilt and regret, is something all of us have, Dan. But, you weren't to blame."

 "How!? How was I not?" He argues angrily, "I let Shujin kill dozens of people that night!" He shouts as tears ran freely down his cheeks.

 "I know. Even so, you still aren't to blame."

 "How?" Dan confused.

 "You're weak, inexperienced, and out of your element," she harshly points out, "stop shouldering this burden on your own!" She gets angry.

 "How can I not!?" He asks, yelling in a rage.

 "By sharing it!" She yelled back. "With me! Sam! Or anyone else! I know you feel the guiltiest, but I feel guilty too. I wished I went there with you, so you wouldn't suffer on your own."

 He shook his head disagreeing, "I wouldn't want you there," his heart pounds anxiously, flashing images of that family's bodies came to haunt him. "I wouldn't want you seeing what I saw."

 "What you saw, what I've seen, they're all… In a day's work."

 "What?"

 "Did you think being a sorcerer is just about magic and killing beasts?" She retorts.

 "No…" He knew. He was just naive.

 She reaches her hand out and placed it on his shoulder "Then please, understand," she begs. "There was nothing you could've done. I'm not saying you should accept it either. But you're letting it eat you up. You're going to reach a breaking point and by that… I don't know what would happen to you. Imagining that is just too… Scary."

 "I promised them…" His voice and his heart breaking. "That I'd protect them," the fear and shock in their eyes reflected on his own. The sounds of their screaming were loud in his head. 

 "We can never make promises, Dan. We can't save everyone. No matter how strong you are, no matter how fast you are, no matter what unlocked potential you have. It's just impossible."

 "Then… What can I do?" He feels helpless.

 "Get stronger. Save as much people as we can. Don't die in the process."

 Dan couldn't bring himself to say anything. He let his tears flow and cries as he looks deep into her eyes. Though disturbed by the blur from the tears. Laura slowly pulls Dan close and she wraps her hand around his neck. She embraces him. He could feel her heart started pacing, the warmth that came from her, Dan was petrified with anxiety and fear.

 Don't be scared. She's with you, Jon said as his invisible projection was sitting beside Dan, hand over his back and petting him. 

 Dan slowly lifts his hands and wrapped his hands around her back and squeezing her lightly. He rests his face on her shoulder, damping her sleeve with his tears. It was a first for Laura too, this was a big step she was hesitating to take earlier. I don't care about myself anymore. As long as I can help you, I'll be okay, Laura said to herself.

 The two hugged for a while, she was letting Dan calm himself down. His tears stopped, he was able to breathe normally. He liked the feel of her embrace, though it to be very comforting. He ran his finger to the tips of her hair and starts twirling her hair. 

 "You okay?" She asks.

 "Yeah, I am," he replies with a heavy smile. "Thank you," he said, followed by a sniffle.

 "I'm glad," she smiled.

 "You smell nice," he blurts out a sudden.

 "Uhh…" She was caught off guard with his comment, "thanks…?" She blushes a little. Feeling flustered. 

"You too, I guess…?" She replied giggling, uncertainly. 

 "Yeah," he chuckles, "I did just shower," he makes a big genuine smile.

 Dan pulls himself back and stayed within a face away from her. He went back to look her deep into her dark magenta eyes. Laura runs her thumb under Dan's eyes, wiping his tears. His breathing grows heavier as he tries to push himself forward, closer to her. Every millimeter, he counts.

 "You wanna go for breakfast? They're probably almost done," Laura invites with a beckoning soft voice.

 "Yeah, sure," he was forced to pull himself back, he won't invade her space like that. Not after what just happened. He thought it would inappropriate. 

 Laura stands and lends him a hand, he grabs onto her hand gently and pushed himself up to stand. They left Dan's room and he now shuts his door tightly. As they were walking down the hallway, Dan thought of something, "Laura," he calls.

 "Yeah?" 

 He starts to wipe his face with his sleeves, "do I look like I just bawled my eyes out?" He asks, laughing.

 "Yeah, a bit."

 "Y'know," someone spoke. "I don't think I've met anyone like you, Dan," the voice came from behind the two. They turned around and saw Nate. He wore his long-sleeve turquoise turtle neck. Hands in his pant pockets, leaning on the wall, one leg perched on the wall.

 "Who are you again?" Dan asks coldly, turning back to his old self.

 "Gah," Nate feels offended that Dan doesn't remember his name. "Nathan Varr," he said his name again with an annoyed tone.

 "Right," Dan remembers now. "The Varr kid," he remembered how he wanted to beat Nate up. "What's up?" He asks.

 "I said," he sighs. "I don't think I've met anyone like you," he repeated vaguely.

 "Right. Now you have," Dan tersely responded. Dan didn't know what else he needed to respond with.

 He's really vigilant, Nate thought. "Crying over strangers is crazy to me, y'know?"

 "At least I show empathy," he got defensive.

 Nate grinds his teeth; he was getting irritated.

 "I know you can't, Nate," Dan presumed. 

 "It's Nathan!" Nate was annoyed that everyone called him Nate rather than his preferred nickname.

 Dan discernibly pauses, "it's obvious what kind of childhood you had with the way you act," Dan smirked.

 "Fuck does that mean?" Nate asks.

 "I mean, let me be completely clear," Dan starts approaching Nate. "You're rich, but not spoiled; You're talented, but not arrogant; You have a temper too. I saw the way you fought on our first day. You were going to completely lose it in sparring. Almost killing Jay."

 "So…?" Nate doesn't know where Dan was going.

 "It means you have a shitty personality."

 "The hell I do," Nate denies and gets a little defensive.

 "You come of snarky and act like you're important, but you just want to be seen the same."

 "What makes you say that?"

 "Sorcerers from clans don't ever go to Core Intel. You and Laura are the first ones in history," he replied. "What kind of sorcerer, with a background like yours, would be allowed to go to a common school?" Dan asks.

 Nate fell silent.

 "Your parents, knowing about the supremacy of that family, would never allow you to even meddle with beast-related missions. You'd be a tool for their politics."

 "As smart as you look," Nate smirked. "I'm glad."

 Thanks, Jon, Dan said in his head.

 No problem, Jon had information from when he was a sorcerer, and have lived a longer life than Dan. A more vigilant life, too. He can tell a person's background with the way they act. It's never the same, but most likely similar with minor differences. 

 "Though, I do wanna ask," Dan claims. "What did you want?"

 "I was going to ask L-" Nate stopped himself, then changes what he's saying, "both of your help."

 "Why?" Dan confused.

 "I wanna go on a mission, but Vic's angry at me."

 "Why?"

 "Because I bailed on her," Nate shook his head in annoyance.

 "Why would you, of all people, bail?" Dan was shocked for a moment.

 "Not in a fight, hell no!" He states. "It was... Something else," he pouts.

 "So, you want us to do what? Just accompany you?"

 "Yeah," he replies with an underlying intent.

 "We haven't eaten breakfast, so later."

 "I'll walk with you."

 "Please, no," Dan begged.

 "Too bad."

 The three rode the elevator down to the lobby. It was a quiet elevator. Dan stood in the middle, in between Laura and Nate. Laura was throwing her vision aside. Nate scratched the back of his head, feeling annoyed. Dan started coughing to clear his throat. He then breathed through his mouth. Due to the dead silence, it was really loud. Nate grew impatient, he started tapping his fingers on the metal wall. 

 You know the one thing I despise being inside you, Dan? Jon asks.

 Dan thinks about it for a moment, he came up with no potential reason. What? Dan asks.

 It's these awkward ass moments. I cringe.

 Live with it.

 The elevator door opened, Dan and Nate tried getting out at the same time, they end up squishing against each other. Dan looks at him with an annoyed glare, so did Nate. Neither of them was going to back out, so the two ended up pushing each other to leave the elevator, popping outwards. Laura then slowly walks out the elevator like a reasonable person. 

 Nate takes a look at Dan's face, he noticed that his eyes were really puffy. He heard everything Dan said to Laura when he was breaking down earlier. 

 "Dan."

 "What?" Dan replies.

 "Race to the cafeteria?"

 "You're not that fast."

 "Bet," Nate burst out dorm entrance, running as fast as he could. A literal second later, Dan came out running. Nate starts to run as fast as he could. Dan was able to catch up with him.

 "No amp, buddy."

 "You think you're fast, buddy?"

 Laura was still walking, watching the two from afar. She thought about joining in, but Dan and Nate looked like they're having fun, she'd hate to interrupt that. It's best for him to take his mind off it.

 Kai appeared beside Laura in an instant. "Ohayou," he greets. 

 "Oh, Kai," she wasn't surprised. "Ohayou."

 "Dan wa dou shitemasuka?"

 "Ima, kare wa daijoubu."

 "Yokatta na."

Ohayou = Morning

Dan wa dou shitemasuka = How is Dan doing?

Ima, kare wa daijoubu = He's okay now.

Yokatta na = Thank goodness

 Kai found Laura gazing at Dan and Nate running while walking. He pats her head lovingly. "Dan ga suki desuka?"

 "Huh?" She snaps out of her staring. "Iiya, suki janai! I like him just not in that sense."

 "Naruhodo," Kai giggles.

 "Nanda?"

 "I'm happy you found someone you like."

 Laura grunts and changes the subject, "any progress with Shujin?"

 "Yeah," Kai confidently nods.

Dan ga suki desuka = Do you like Dan?"

Iiya! Suki janai = No, I don't like him!

Naruhodo = Gotcha

Nanda? = What?

 She turns to him, looking at him with doubt.

 "Okay, maybe not really," he confessed. "He's a ghost," he replies helplessly, "Cathy's also been really upset," he adds.

 "Why?" Laura asks.

 "She was the one blamed for Idly City."

 "Who's pointing blame?" Laura was surprised that anyone would point blame.

 "Herself," he sighs in pity. "I sometimes wish she was like what she used to be," Kai said with a little bit of optimism.

 "The Cold Woman…?" Laura presumed.

 "Yeah, honestly."

 "You like her, don't you?"

 "Our rule was that we'd never date each other. Besides, I'm way younger than her, it'd be weird."

 "How many years?"

 "Four."

 "Too bad, you seem really close."

 "We do go all the way back. Even before that day eighteen years ago."

 "About that…"

 "What's up?"

 "Dan mentioned his dad was the Manipulator, is that true?"

 Kai paused for a moment, his inner monologue was debating on whether to tell her the truth or not. He's scared that she'll share the info with him before he's ready. He then made his decision, "he is. Most likely," he replies.

 "Who's his mom?" She asks curiously.

 "Irrelevant," he replies immediately. Almost like an automatic response.

 "Fine then," Laura knew Kai wasn't going to share any info to her.

 Kai recalled why he looked for her in the first place, "but about Heath..."

 "Right, him."

 "His name was registered to a sorcerer family, Hart family. It was a small family, however."

 "Any significance?"

 "Well, he's probably the last one of that bloodline."

 "Okay, I get it now."

 "You do?"

 "Yes, thanks a lot." She then starts running, going to catch up with Nate and Dan. 

 They entered the cafeteria and see everyone just about finishing breakfast. They were a bit late. Nate looks around the cafeteria, he couldn't find Vic anywhere. He sighed in relief. The ones still eating was just Sam. Volta didn't join him for breakfast apparently. Dan went to sit beside him, bringing his tray of breakfast. 

 "Ohayou, Sam," Dan greets.

 "Mornin'," he replies.

 Laura sits across from Dan and Nate sat beside her. Keeping a half meter distance from her. "Sup," Nate greeted with his eyebrows raised.

 "Sup," Sam replies, equally terse.

 Laura just smiles and bowed her head; she didn't want to speak. The four ate in silence for a while. Sam was purposefully eating slowly. He was thinking, formulating a sentence. He couldn't put it to words, his emotions. The point he's trying to get across was just never appropriate in the plethora of sentences he's come up with. I could just start with asking how he is… Sam thought. He uses his senses to figure out what Dan was feeling. The wave of depressing sensation made him empathize unwillingly. No. He's definitely not okay.

 Sam knew how emotionally detached Dan could be, if I don't say anything, it's what he expects me to do. He was ready to say nothing at all. He sees Dan was just casually enjoying his meal, no words to utter. He didn't look like he was thinking of anything in particular. 

 Come on, talk! He frustrates with himself. You said you want to be there for him, didn't you!? He asks himself, irritated. 

 He scratches the back of his head with the butt of his spoon. He starts whining to himself. He starts bouncing his right leg up and down. He keeps exhaling loudly. His sounds were filling the table with weird sounds.

 "Sam, yametoke," Dan ordered abruptly.

 "Huh?" Sam snaps out of his endless thought.

 "Ore ga daijoubu da. Don't worry."

 "Maji?" Sam asks, confused. "Shinjinai yo."

 "Maa ne… I can't be worried forever."

 "Wakateru yo, demo…"

 "Daijoubu, honto ni."

 "Souda, yokatta."

Yametoke = stop

Ore ga daijoubu da = I'm okay

Maji? Shinjinai yo = Really? I don't believe you.

Maa ne = Well

Wakateru yo, demo = I know, but

Daijoubu, honto ni = I'm fine, really

Souda, yokatta = Okay then, I'm glad

 "How long have you known each other?" Nate asks curiously. He was also a little envious, he never had a childhood friend.

 "Since elementary, I think," Sam replied.

 Nate nods, "gotcha…" 

 "What made you stick around this guy?" Nate asks Sam condescendingly towards Dan.

 "No clue, actually," Sam looks over to Dan. He couldn't think of a specific reason. "I think we just click, y'know?"

 "Is that so?" Dan said, doubtingly.

 "Oh, right," Sam remembers now, "pity," he changed his answer. "I stayed out of pity," Sam grins.

 "That sounds about right," Nate agrees.

 "Fuck y'all," Dan sighs with a smile.

 "I was your first friend, you know?" Sam remarked.

"No, you weren't," Dan shook his head.

"Yes, I was. Who the hell wanna be friends with you?"

The image of his old friend popped up in his head. It was a young girl who had an electric smile and a loud persona, "that's a secret."

"See? Doesn't exist."

"Say what you want.

 Sam stands up and lifts his empty tray of food. "Well, I'm gonna go laze around until V wants to do a mission. See you around." He brought the tray to the dirty rack and went out the cafeteria and back to the dorm house.

 "Nate," Dan calls.

 "What?" Nate turns to Dan.

 "Why did you bail on Vic?" He asks with a curious look on his face.

 "No reason," he sighs.

 "Come on, we're going out to do a mission with you. Say it."

 "Um… No," he still rejects.

 "Itte."

 "No.

 "Itte."

 "No."

 "Itte."

 "Fine!" He yells, annoyed. "Such a child."

Itte = Say it

 Dan starts giggling aloud.

 "We were attacked by a sorcerer who was Supreme-Rank. I got injured and they brought me back home. Since my clan house is local. I hate almost everyone there, so I left as soon as I woke up."

 "Woooow…" Dan amazed. "Wait… A Supreme-Rank?" He asks abruptly.

 "Not the one you two faced. He's someone else."

 "That makes it worse," Dan said. The three finished their food and headed out. They took the train; their destination was six stops away. Nate walked ahead, leading the two. 

 The train ride was quiet, not much to do. Many people were accustomed to shutting up on the train. They understand that it's a public ride, everyone should respect everyone's serenity. Talking is allowed, just not too loud. There're also a few carts that allows people to speak freely. Disturbing the peace is a civil offense. A fine of one-hundred-thousand yen.

 After about twenty minutes, they arrived at the station. They quickly left the station. Nate brought them to a town square. The place he needed to go was behind two buildings, through an alleyway. 

 The town square was packed with people. Lots of tourists, people hanging out, kids playing, traveling merchants, and more. It was peaceful. Dan felt the warmth of joy the crowd emitted. He held his chin high and clenched his fists. He will not make the mistake of letting beasts loose and causing lives. His expression turned dead serious, no smile, lowered eyebrows, steady breathing, vigilant senses.

 Keep a cool head, no rush of any emotions, Jon said.

 Wakatta.

Wakatta = I know

 The alleyway they had to go through was musty. Small piles of trash along the alley. Despite several trash containers being there, they were simply not enough to keep all the trash. Some dumpster divers also made a complete mess of the way.

 The alleyway was between a bakery and an ice cream shop. At the end of the alleyway was a small open space. It was somewhat dirty. Maybe somewhat clean. 

 Dan used mana sense, and felt a third—not counting himself—presence. It differs from a beast, more human-like. More controlled. It was imbued with heat. "Sorcerer?" Dan mutters to himself with focused face.

 Yup.

 There was a silver door that Nate walked up to. He was about to open the door, then someone fell behind him. Instantaneously, it was too quick for Nate's senses to pick up. Not until it was too late.

 "Heath!?" Dan shocked.

 "Yo."

 "What the hell?"

 "There's a few things I'd like to ask you, can I?" He asks antagonistically.

 In a flicker of flame, Heath was standing beside Dan with a Diamond Ace card on his hand, extended to Dan's neck. "He's looking for rings, yes?"

 Unfazed, Dan replies, "who's he?"

 "Shujin."

 "You know him, huh?"

 "A brief history is all."

 "Why?

 "How is he looking for them?"

 "I wouldn't know. What do I look like to you, an expert?"

 "The blue book, he has it, correct?"

 Dan remembers vividly, the blue book he used to revive the half-man half-beast. "He does."

 "What has he use it for?" Heath asked.

 "Revive that… Thing," mentioning Ri.

 "Anything else?"

 "Not that I know of."

 "You could've just asked him normally, y'know?" Nate sighed.

 "I wouldn't like that, Nate."

 "It's… Nathan."

 "I also don't like people who might get in my way. That blue book, no one should have it."

 "So, you'll destroy it?" Laura mentions the idea.

 "Like hell, I'll keep it for safe keeping."

 "Why the hell do you need that kind of grimoire?" She asked.

 "You wouldn't get it," he laughs.

 "If you told us, we would," She stated, feeling incredibly irritated.

 "Shut it."

 Heath takes a small stride forward and extends his other arm and points a card at Laura's neck. 

 Dan immediately clenched his fist, grabbed Heath's gravity, then pointed his index finger downwards. Bringing him to his knees. His flame cards start to dissipate from the pressure of the gravity. Dan crouches down to Heath and looks at him, pouting. "You're annoying," he sighs in annoyance.

 "You okay, Laura?"

 "I'm fine."

 "Nate, did you really bring us here for that?"

 "What?" Nate confused. "No."

 "So, you went out of your way to stalk us?"

 "Yeah," Heath glares at him. He barely managed to deliver the word.

 Dan stands back up and loosened his hand, releasing Heath from the pressuring gravity. "Don't do that again," he warned.

 Heath didn't have anything to say to Dan.

 "Anyways… You guys wanna come along?" Nate asked, trying to act nonchalant and unbothered with what just happened.

 "What exactly is this mission, Nate?" Dan asks.

 "Umm…" He quickly turns around and opened the silver door and walked through. He let the door open for them. Inside, it looks like a kitchen. He was pacing through the kitchen. 

 The three rushes along. "Kitchen?" Dan wonders aloud. 

 "Why were you two with him?" Heath asks.

 "He asked for help," Dan replied.

 "That true, Laura?"

 "Yeah," she nods, feeling a bit weird to be buddy-buddy with someone who threatened her life for the third time since they met.

 Through the kitchen, luckily no one was questioning why four kids just went through their establishment so casually. Turns out, through the kitchen was a restaurant. They saw Nate exiting through the entrance. Again, they followed.

 After they made it outside, Dan got irritated. He reaches out and grasped Nate's gravity and stopped him from moving by giving him enough force to negate his movements.

 "Oi, what are we doing here?" Dan demanded an answer.

 "Laura and Dan come with me. Heath can go somewhere else."

 "Guess I'm not wanted here. Mata na," Heath immediately turned around and walked away.

 "You're not wanted anywhere," Laura mumbles.

 "Dan, hanashite?" Nate politely requested.

Mata na = See ya

Hanashite = Let me go

 Dan proceeds to release Nate from his grasp. "Now, answer," Dan demanded.

 "It's just two stores down, can we go there first?"

 "Fine," he said reluctantly. Two stores down, it was a pretty big donut establishment. Rounded Café. Dan sighed loudly and entered with Laura.

 "Nate, what the fuck is this?" Dan sighed in disappointment.

 "I need your help," he shrugs.

 "What help? Eating donuts?" Dan retorted in annoyance.

 "No, it's to help me pick out donuts."

 "Why the fuck? Couldn't you do this yourself?"

 "This is why I was only going to ask Laura," he mumbled.

 "Well, why didn't you then?" Dan got really frustrated.

 Nate starts to think about his actions, he could've just asked Laura to help him out. Instead, he insisted on bringing both of them. "Laura, you mind helping me?"

 She took a quick glance at Dan face-palming, "what do you need?" She asks unenthusiastically.

 "I can't do this shit," Dan walks to an empty chair on the end of the room and sat down on it. He folded his hands on the table in front of him and slammed his face downward.

 "I need to ask, what kind of Donuts Vic would like?" He asks. "I know you're not close, but if you had to go off by hunch."

 "Is she a sweets kind of person? What if she prefers savory?"

 "If that's the case…" He thinks not so deeply into it. "I'm fucked. Just tell me," he insists.

 "I think it's best to get her different kinds of donuts. Variations would help, just in case she doesn't like a flavor."

 "Good idea."

 "What is something you would think she likes?"

 "I guess, never wrong to go with glazed donuts. Or chocolate with nuts, rainbow sprinkles, jelly-filled donuts."

 "You like sweets, huh?"

 "Do you?"

 "Not really."

 "Let me guess," she looks at him from his shoe to his hair, "unsweetened tea kind of guy?" Laura asks with a sarcastic tone.

 Nate now feels embarrassed to admit it, "yeah…" He said all timid-like.

 "Gross," she said with a smile.

 "Can I ask you something?" Nate said.

 "What?" 

 "Whose daughter are you?"

 She sighs in annoyance, if she didn't say it'd be annoying to come back to, "clan head," she said, rolling her eyes.

 "Oh, what a coincidence."

 "Sure is."

 "If we dated, it'd build a good relationship between the clan, don't you think?" He said half-joking. Laura knows exactly what Nate's going to say next, she anticipates it and readies to answer in a heartbeat. "You wanna try dating? And see how it goes?"

 "Nope," she replied tersely and quickly.

 "Thought so," he shrugs.

 "I just don't know you yet," she states unapologetically.

 "Well, get to know me then, y'know?"

 "Still no."

 "Not your type?"

 "Not really."

 "Too bold, I guess?"

 "A bit."

 Nate had finished picking all the donut toppings, he ordered four boxes of one-half-dozen. That's seventy-two donuts. He decided to went with a mix of everything. Laura looks at him weirdly.

 "What?" Nate asks, confused. Feeling a little uncomfortable.

 "Why did you buy seventy donuts…?" She was in awe.

 "It's for Vic."

 "Ehhh…"

 Dan stood up from his seat and saw Nate's four boxes of donuts. His jaw dropped in confusion. "Naze sonnani oui no ka?"

 "Uhh… Wakarimasen."

Naze sonnani oui no ka = Why so much?

Wakarimasen = I don't know

 The three left the donut café and headed out to the station. First, they need to regroup with Heath. They walked along the pathway Heath took earlier. Dan was window shopping on his own. Looking at a bunch of things he thought were cool but not interesting enough to buy.

 Up ahead, was another café. There was a long glass wall with a table that had an outdoor view. Right before they made it to the beginning of the building, the glass door bursts from inside abruptly. What caused the break was a person going through the glass door. The three stopped in their tracks, they sighed exasperatedly. The person that walked out of the café was none other than Heath himself. He walks over to the man and leans down. He runs his hands through the man's pocket and pulled out his wallet. He checks inside the pocket, he sees a thick stack of cash. He goes back inside the café. He proceeds to take out the money from the wallet and handed it over to the clerk. "For the damages," he said.

 "Call the cops, too," He adds.

 Heath runs his hand through his hoodie pocket and pulled out a roll of duct tape. "Why does he have duct tape?" Dan asked.

 "No clue," Nate sighed.

 The reason for its usage was obvious, but the reason for him to actively bring it out was vague. He tapes the man's wrist, ankle, and mouth. Not long after, the cops showed up an arrested the man for attempted murder and attempted burglary.

 The four went and head back to the station. Dan and Laura decides to hang out with the others in the dorm lounge. Heath too. Nate went up to Vic's room with all four boxes of donuts. He stood in front of the door, and knocked with one hand. 

 "Vic? It's Nathan. I wanna apologize for bailing on you in Jiin. I also bought a bunch of donuts."

 "I can see that," said Vic from his right.

 Nate turns to her, "oh, hey."

 "That's a lot of donuts," her face was expressing mixes of emotion.

 "I didn't know what you liked, I had Laura help me pick them out," he said his reasoning. "I'm sor-"

 "No need to apologize, Nate. I get it."

 "Really? I feel like I should still apologize."

 "I appreciate the effort. But that's a lot of donuts, so let's go down and share it with the others."

 "Yeah, sure. That's a nice idea."

 The two went down to the lounge and announced that Nate bought too many donuts so he'd like to share with everyone.